Oil burner



H. MILLER OIL BURNER Filed July 25. 1929 Aug. 25, 1931.

4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 2 5, 1931 H. MILLER OIL BURNER Filed July 23, 1929 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 livfrza y.

ha/ezzZW/x Harman M15125];

Aug. 25, 1931. H. MILLER 1,320,758

OIL BURNER I Filed July 23. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 H. MILLER OIL BURNER Aug. 25, 1931.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 23, 1929 Patented Aug. 25, 1931 UNITED I STATES JEIERCMl-IN MILLER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 'I'O BURRELL ENGINEERING- & CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A. CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS OIL BURNER Application filed July 23, 1929. Serial No. 3 0,301.

um created by thefor-ced air discharge as an instrumentality to cooperate and assist both in extracting oil or an oil mixture from the atomizer and inproducing a more complete and efficient atomizing.

' A further object is the provision of improved mechanism of comparatively simple yet efficient construction for the oil supply, air supply and atomizing operations which includes the production of an air blast for combustion and mixing purposes in theform of a hollow cylinder surrounding oil supply mechanism adapted to convey oil to the column of forced air both by centrifugal action and through the vacuum created in the vortex of the air column. These and other objects are accomplished by transporting the oil in liquid form in close proximity to the point of atomization where the vacuum action of the forced air supply serves to withdraw oil thorough and eflicient mixing or atomization.

A further object is the provision of an improved rotary atomizer having means, for

,ventionls assoc1ated,compr1ses a base memutilizing a portion of the forced air current on each side of the atomizer discharge opening, whereby a secondary current of forced air is utilized and a vacuum suction action provided in close proximity to the oil discharge opening of the atomizer, in addition to the principal vacuum action created by the forced air current which surrounds the entire atomizingdevice. Other objects will appear hereinafter.

" The invention consists in the combinations scribed and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which:

from the atomizer and thus produce, a more and arrangements of parts hereinafter dea representative installation, although-it is Fig. 1 is an elevational View taken on the i right side of the oil burner showing the'burner in association with the fire box of afurnace, the'latter being shown in longitudinal section; Q V

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view, partly'in section, of the air fan or blower;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of'the atomizer employed in carrying out the invention, with the front disk plate partially broken away to show the air vanes;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the atomizer taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged transverse sectional view, with the electric motoromitted, taken substantially'on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a longitudinalvertical sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a side elevational View of the air intake adjusting sleeve;

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of the air intake adjusting sleeve, detached from the apparatus;

Fig. 10 is a detailed view of the oildischarge pipe centering plate; v Fig. 11 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 11-,11 of Fig. 7 and Fig. 12 is an interior elevational'view of the 'front fan housing member, 'p artl'ybrokenawayto showthe interior construction.

The oil burner with which the present inber 15 supported by internally threaded blocks 16adapted to receive threaded adjusting rods 17 by means of [which base member to be understood that the invention is not restricted thereto. The motor referably has a normal operating'speed of. 1 revolutions per minute, and upon the shaft 21 is keyed PATENT OFFICE j,

loo

drive pulley 22 connected by belt 23 to pulley 24 keyed upon hollow rotary shaft 25. Pulley 22 is preferably twice the diameter of pulley 24 whereby hollow shaft-25 is given a normal operating speed of 3500 revolutions per minute in a typical installation. Integrally formed upon pulley 24 is a second pulley 26 connected by belt 27 to pulley 28 which is connected to shaft 29 and adapted to drive oil pump 30. The oil pump 30 may be of any standard improved type and is employed for the purpose of exerting a comparatively low pressure in the neighborhood of 5 pounds for forcing oil to the metering valve, hereinafter referred to. In certain installations where the oil supply tanks are so disposed as to furnish sufficient force by gravity, oil pump 30 may be dispensed with.

The main oil supply is carried to the apparatus by pipe 31 leading to a standard filtering device 32. The oil is conveyed from the filterindevice 32 through pipes 33 and 3 4 to the oi pump 30 and thence through the Oil feed line 35 to the metering valve 36. The metering valve 36 is of standard construction and is adapted to be manually adjusted for regulating the oil supply to the atomizer. Electric current for motor 20 is furnished by wires in cable 37 leading from a standard relay box 38 operatively associated with thermostatic control mechanism which is not shown nor described in detail because not forming a part of the present invent-ion. second cable 39 contains electric wires leading to an automatic electrically controlled oil shut-ofi' "alve 40. After passing the metering valve 36 the oil supply is carried through pipe 41 which is connected by elbow 42 to a centering plate 43. Plate 43 is provided with a central opening, and a relatively smaller oil discharge pipe 44 is connected thereto by means of threaded ad- 'usting plugs 45, 46, whereby the oil supply as a continuous flo-w from the metering valve 36 through the oil discharge pipe 44. Discharge pipe 44, in a representative installation, has an outside diameter of approximately inch and a slight clearance is provided between the outside periphery of discharge pipe 44 and the internal bore of hollow shaft 25. In the device illustrated, a satisfactory clearance at this point is approximately inch. It is further desirable to maintain pipe. 44 centrally disposed within the hollow shaft 25 particularly inasmuch as pipe 44 has no support in advance of centering plate 43, and for this purpose plate 43 has threaded therein three adjusting screwv bolts 47 equally spaced, the ends of which bear against a supporting web 48 formed between the forward legs 19. Plate 43 is clamped to web 48 by bolts 49 disposed within slots 50, and thus for a centering operation bolts 49 are loosened, screwbolts 47 adjusted to properly center feed pipe 44, and bolts 49 are then tightened in place. The forward end of 1101- low shaft 25 is externally threaded to receive an atomizer 51 which, as shown in Fig. 4, consists of an inner shell portion 52 providing an oil receiving chamber 53. Disposed radially on the outer periphery of shell 52, preferably at points adjacent the discharge end of discharge pipe 44, are a plurality, six in the present embodiment, of connecting bosses 54, each of which is provided with a central oil opening 55 communicating with a hollow cylindrically shaped o-il discharge chamber 56, formed between an intermediate tubular member 57, supported by bosses 54 and an outer tubular member 58. As shown in Fig. 4, tubular members 57 and 58 are spaced to provide a circular oil discl'iarge opening 59 at their forward extremities, but are sealed together at the rear extremity. Disposed at the rear extremity of member 58 is a rearwardly and outwardly flared flange 60 which acts as a batlle or guide for diverting a portion of the forced air supply through air passage 61 in addition to the air supply forced between the air projector and the atomizer, as hereinafter described. It is also desired to provide a device of an air turbine type at the forward end of the inner shell portion 52, which consists of a disk 62 connected to the shell 52 by a plurality of radially extending vanes 63 and having a central opening 64 for receiving air which is discharged outwardly by a centrifugal and turbine action to a point in proximity to the oil discharge opening 59. In order to provide proportionately adequate oil outlet openings relative to the oil discharge opening, the combined cross-sectional area of the six ports 55 is equal to approximately three times the cross-sectional area of the bore of the oil discharge pipe 44, the diameter of which, in the installation illustrated, is inch.

Shaft 25 is supported in bearings 65 and lubrication is preferably afforded by absorbent textile material or wool disposed in pockets 66. The absorbent lubricant material extends into an oil or lubricant chamber 67 to which lubricant is supplied by pipe 68 and filler cap 69. Bearing or bushing members 65 are mounted in a rear fan hous ing member 70 supported by legs 71 extending downwardly to base member 15. The rear hub portion of housing member 70 is provided with a plurality of air intake ports 72 which are adapted to adjustably register with corresponding openings 73 provided upon the air intake adjusting sleeve 74 whereby upon rotation of the latter the volume of air intake may be controlled, being secured in adjusted position by screw bolt 75.

Formed integrally with the rear fan housing 70 is an upper table 76 which serves as a support for the oil pump 30. Keyed upon nating action between suction directly upon the 011 dlscharge clrcushaft is a fan 77 preferably of the turbine type having a forward im erforate plate 78 and a rear spaced plate 79 oined by a plurality of comparatively long vanes 80 and altershort vanes 81. Plate 7 9 is spaced from thejcentral bearing support portion of the rear fan housing to provide a circular air inlet .82, and disposed in advance of fan plate 78 is a stationary imperforate plate 83 formed integrally with the front fan housing member 84, and connected thereto by a plurality of radially extending vanes 85. Thus, upon rotation of the fan air is drawn through the air intake ports 72, and is then carried outwardly through the fan and thence forced inwardly between vanes 85 through the front fan housing member 84. Bolted upon the forward edge of the front fan housing member 84 is a projector "-86 which is gradually reduced to terminate in a forward circular edge portion 87 forming a circular air space 88 which, in the present embodiment illustrated, provides a space approximately inch in widthencircling the atomizer 51. The respective pulleys are preferably all enclosed within a pulley housing 89.

In operation oil iscarried through the oil supply pipe 44 in accordance with the adj ustment of the metering valve 36, and normally is discharged in liquid form into chamber 53 of the atomizer 51. Simultaneously, the forced current of air supply is divided by baflie 60 preferably in such proportion that approximately 30% of the volume of air passes through air passage 61 and approximately 70% is forced between the circular opening 88provided between the circular projector edge 87 and the outer tubular sleeve member 58 of the atomizer 51. These two currents of air' each are in the form of a hollow cylinder and are swirling in motion by reason of the speed offthe fan and the relatively high rotary speed, of the atomizer. The two currents which pass through openings 61 and 88, respectively, create a vacuum them which serves to form a lar opening 59, and'in addition a vacuum effect is created causing additional suction upon the oil discharge openingby reasonof these combined currents of air in advance of the atomizer. In other words, there is a primary vacuum created bythe entire air discharge in advance of the atomizer, and a secondary lesser vacuum created where the two currents ofair meet adjacent the oil discharge This general vacuum action also opening. p

be carried through induces a current of air to the opening 90 between pipe 44 and shaft 25, which action is enhanced by the relative motion of the shaft, and therefore, as the oil drips into chamber 53 a preliminary oil and air mixing operation takes place due to the air carried through passageway 90. The

" '65 combined centrifugal action of the atomizer rectly in advance of the atomizer.

ports 55 the oil is deposited plant may and the vacuum action created by the air supply carries this preliminary mixture through the plurality of openings 55.

throw air outwardly where the oil discharge takes place and thus spread the mixture di- After passing through in the form of a film in the space between tubular members 57 and 58, after which the oil is drawn through circular opening 59 by thevvacuum action above described. It will thus be seen that there is no interruption or mechanism tending to impede or disrupt either the uniform column of forced air cur rents or the uniform supply of oil to the air currents, whereby there is produceda thorough mixing and atomization.

Depending upon the quantity of fuel oil supply, the flame produced upon ignition of this mixture is carried rearwardly in the com bustion chamber 91 of a furnace, and preferconsumed by this return action of the flame. -.95

However, it will be understood that interior fire brick linings of the furnace 'or heating to which the apparatus is connected be varied to suit different conditions. Under normal operating conditions atomiza-.

started and proper conditions for igniting the mixture reached. The nozzle of the projector 86 is extended a slight distance within the combustion chamber 91 of the heating plant: as shown in Fig. 1, and isextended through a plate 94 hermetically sealed in the clinker door opening or fire or ash door opening.

The grades of oil usually em loyed for oil burner purposes may be satis actorily used in the present device at a. great saving in comparison to the heat generated. Fuel oil of 2426 or 28-30 degrees Baum may be satisfactorily employed,and the apparatus will satisfactorily operate with oils of greater density than will many other types of burners. While I have illustrated and describedv the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of 'variation and modification without departing to avail myself of such variations and modifi- 13o .ably the rear wall of a rectangular furnace is {Q9 19 tion is so perfected that complete combustion .105 length of the pilot jet when the apparatus is cations as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An oil burner comprising, in combination, a hollow rotatably mounted shaft, an oil discharge pipe enclosed within said shaft, power means for rotating said shaft, forced air supply means, an atomizer mounted upon said shaft adjacent the discharge end of said oil discharge pipe, an air projector adapted to confine the forced air and terminating in a circular edge portion spaced from said atomizer to provide a circular air opening, said atomizer provided with an inner tubular member and an outer tubular member with an air passage therebetween, said outer tubular member formed to provide an annular oil discharge opening spaced from said inner tubular member.

2. An oil burner comprising, in combination, a hollow rotatably mounted shaft, an oil discharge pipe enclosed within said shaft, power means for rotating said shaft, forced air supply means, an atomizer mounted upon said shaft adjacent the discharge end of said oil discharge pipe, an air projector adapted to confine the forced air and terminating in a circular edge portion spaced from said atomizer to provide a circular air opening, means mounted upon the extreme advance end of said atomizer for creating an outward current of air, said atomizer provided with an inner tubular member and an outer tubular member with an air passage therebetween, said outer tubular member formed to provide an annular oil discharge opening spaced from said inner tubular member.

3. An oil burner comprising, in combination, a hollow rotatably mounted shaft, an oil discharge pipe enclosed within said shaft, means for adjustably centering said oil discharge pipe within said shaft, power means for rotating said shaft, forced air supply means, an atomizer mounted upon said shaft adjacent the discharge end of said oil discharge pipe, an air projector adapted to confine the forced air and terminating in a circular edge portion spaced from said. atomizer to provide a circular air opening, said atomizer provided with an inner tubular member and an outer tubular member with an air passage therebetween, said outer tubular member formed to provide an annular oil discharge opening spaced from said inner tubular member.

4. An oil burner comprising, in combination, a hollow rotatably mounted shaft, an

oil discharge pipe enclosed within said shaft, means for adjustably centering said oil discharge pipe within said shaft, power means for rotating said shaft, forced air supply means, an atomizer mounted upon said shaft adjacent the discharge end of said oil discharge pipe, an air projector adapted to confine the forced air and terminating in a circular edge portion spaced from said 'ato'mizer to provide a circular air opening, said atomizer provided with aninner tubular 75 member and an outer tubular member with an air passage therebetween, said outer tubular member formed to provide "an annular oil discharge opening spaced from-saidinner tubular member. 5. An oil burner comprising, in combination, a hollow rotatably mounted shaft, an oil discharge pipe enclosed within said shaft, power means for rotating said shaft, forced air supply means, an atomizer mounted upon said shaft adjacent the discharge-endof said oil discharge pipe, an air projector adapted to confine the forc'edair and terminating in a circular edge portion spaced from said atomizer to provide a circular'air opening, said atomizer provided with'an inner tubular member and an outer tubular member with an air .pa'ss'ag'e therebetween, whereby the forced air current is adapted to create an oil extracting air suction in advance of said atomizer, said outer tubular member formed to provide anannular oil discharge opening spaced from said'inn'er tubular member.

6. An oil burner comprising, in combination, a hollow rotatably mounted shaft, an oil discharge pipe enclosed within said shaft and spaced therefrom, powermeans forrotating said shaft, forced'air supply means, an atomizer mounted upon said shaft adjacent the discharge end of said oil discharge pipe, an air projector adapted to confine the forced air and terminating in a circular edge portion spaced from said atomizer to provide a circular air opening, said atomizer provided with an inner tubular member and an outer tubular member with an air passage-therebetween, said outer tubular member being formed to provide an annular oil discharge opening spaced from said inner tubular member, whereby the forced air current is adapted to create an oil extracting air'suction in advance of said atomizer, and also to create a current of air between said oil discharge pipe and said rotary shaft.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

HERMAN MILLER. 

